Write a Resume After Getting Fired

It isn't the end of your career, write a resume after getting fired to get back to work and regain your self-respect. With proper handling you can minimize the damage that was created by being fired.

After Getting Fired Write a Resume

Being fired has varying degrees of severity. Were you dismissed because of a downsizing or job restructuring? Where you terminated because you did not perform very well?
Or did you get fired because you did something dishonest or unethical? It matters why this has happened to you, the reason it did will determine how the situation needs to be addressed.

There are several common reasons why someone would be let go, they are listed below along with possible solutions to minimize the effects.
If it wasn't your fault, like because of a downsizing, then that is very different from something that was your fault.
Also, be sure to know the difference between being fired and being laid off. Being laid off can happen to anyone and generally isn't due to the fault of the employee.

How to Write a Resume After Getting Fired

Use the examples below to determine the reason that most closely resembles the cause of your dismissal.

You Got Laid Off
From a position of being employed there shouldn't be any animosity toward you from an employer. At some point in their careers many people have been laid off.

If this occurred through no fault of your own, then you have nothing to be ashamed about or be too worried about being rehired.
Generally the reason is due to not having enough work, but there can be many reasons that this can occur including:

This is an easier problem to recover from as far as getting rehired is concerned. Since you have not actually done anything that would brand you a “bad” employee you shouldn't have any reason not to explain what happened and why. Explain it on your application and/or at your interview.

You Got Fired
Being fired doesn't always have to mean you are an inadequate employee, although it usually does. There are cases where a person is let go, but they didn't necessarily do anything wrong to warrant it.
We are focusing on legitimate reasons for termination. We have several examples shown here so you know what some of those reasons are.

Too Much Time Off

Being Late Too Often

Distracting Other Employees

Poor Job Performance

Theft

Lying on your Resume

Substance Abuse at Work

Insubordination

Breaking Company Policy

Personal Business at Work

Conflicts With Other Employees

Now that you were terminated it is time to learn from your mistake, pick yourself up and get back to work. What a stressful situation being fired creates, but you have to get over it and move on.
When you write a resume after getting fired you don't need to put down that you were terminated. That will be addressed on the job application and at the interview.

Mitigation Strategies
The severity of your transgression determines the action to take using this strategy. This will be done on the job application or at the job interview not on your resume.
There are methods you can use to make your termination less noticeable. Here are some strategies you can use:

Get references from other employees at your previous job to reduce the stigma of being a poor employee.

If it was gross misconduct like stealing or insubordination then that is more difficult to resolve. If you don't include the job and the company finds out about it they can let you go for being dishonest.

If it was a less serious infraction like being late too often or taking too much time off you can explain that you learned your lesson and you won't do it anymore.

If you worked at the job for a long time and you don't include it, there will be an employment gap which you will still need to explain.

If you are thinking of not including the job because it was not held for a long period, you might list your education and employment histories on your resume using only the years for the dates without including the months. Depending upon your start and end dates this tactic may cover up the gap.

***Please be warned that if you don't disclose the situation and the employer discovers the omission you may be terminated for it and then have two firings to deal with. Non-disclosure is not recommended and was put here as something not to do and to explain the consequences in case it was a consideration.

This is a difficult time, you have worked to advance your career, to build yourself up, now to find yourself in a position of being torn down. To say don't dwell on the past is easy, to put it into practice is something else.

Be comforted with the thought that with time you will come to terms with your termination and with a well constructed resume you can begin to move on in your career. After you are finished with your resume you will need to prepare for filling out a job application and tackling the interview. To start to write your resume click the button here: